Chair adjustment



0. ELTON.

CHAIR ADJUSTMENT.

APPLICATTON FILED JUNg 6. 1919. 1,335,884. Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

mi IT 'TMI Ill 2 I (l lll Illllliil l 0. ELTON. cHAm ADJUSTMENT. A YAPPLICATION Fl-LED JUNE 6| 9|9., 4 1,335,884. Patented Apr. 6,- 1920.

, 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

mlm mmm 26 .mm mmumnm m mm jme/325k l @Kyi/ Www 4as rara GIE-I AIIR,lADJUSTMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

Application filed June 6, 1919. Serial No. 302,183.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OLAF ELTON, a citizen of the United States, residingat Port lVashington7 in the county otl Ozaukee and State of Wisconsin,have invented a new and useful Chair Adjustment, of which the followingis a specification. l

My invention relates to improvements in revolving and tilting-chairs,especially to that portion thereof known as the adjustment, by means ofwhich the chair-seat is supported upon the chair-base.

Heretofore in adjustments ot this kind, it has been the custom toprovide for vertical adjustments ot the seat through theinstrumentalityof' threaded adjusting-posts in conjunction with which operate threaded`hand-wheels or nuts mounted on the chairbase, or through some otherinstrumentalityT carried by the chair-base. The principal objections tosuch means lies in the tact that they are usually more or less coatedwith grease and accumulations or' dust and-in the further fact that theyare for the most part inaccessible to the chair-occupant, requiring himto vassume a stooping posture, grope around for the hand-wheel or otheroperating element, and being out ot the chair at the time, he must guessas to the adjustment he is making.

The prime objects of my invention are to provide a simple means foradjusting the seat upon the supporting standard or post, to locate saidmeans in the chair-iron, and. to so locate the elements employed inoperating said means as to be operable by the chair-occupant from thechair, if desired, so th he is enabled to get such an adjustment as willexactly suit his requirements.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear,and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in theclaims.

Referring to the drawings- Figure l is a side elevation ot achairadjustment typifying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 2--2 ofFig. l;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal vsectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on the line L -4 oi. Fig. 3 5 partsbeing broken away; Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on the line 5f-5 of Fig. 2; and

Fig, 6 is a detail in elevation et the adjusting-post or standard. v

Similar numerals of i reference indicate similar parts in all the guresot the drawings.

The construction of chair-iron which I have herein illustrated and willdescribe in detail is, for the most part, merely employed w for thepurpose of typitying my invention, it being understood that the noveladjustingmeans herein disclosed may be employed in connection with anyof the well-known types of chair-iron to which it is applicable.

Certain novely features of the chair-iron appearing herein but notclaimed, torm the subject-matter of a companion application iiled by me.

In order to fully typify my invention, the chair-iron illustrated.comprises a U-shaped yoke, having opposite vertical side-walls il, andya lower transverse connecting-wall 2. At their upper ends theside-walls are connected by a transverse brace-plate 3, the same beingprovided with downturned ends 4, embraced by the side-walls of the yokeand riveted thereto,A as at 5.

The chair-iron, in this instance, i'urther comprises a horizontalpivotal yoke consisting of oppositek side-walls 6,whi ch embrace theside-walls l of the stationary yoke, and connected at their rear ends bya transverse-walll'?. The side-walls ofthe pivotal yoke are pivotallyconnected tothe side- -ivalls of the stationary yoke by means of atransverse pintle 8, at a point above the lower transverse wall oflatter yoke, the ends of the pintle being headed or upset, as is usual.f

The upper front portions ot the side-walls l of the stationary yoke arerecessed thereby providing at the opposite or rear corners of saidwalls, vertical abutments or stopshoulders 9, and 'against such aredesigned to abut stop-pins 10, which` project inwardly from theside-walls 6 of the pivotal yoke. It will thus be seen that the reartransverse connecting wall 7 of the pivotal yoke abutting against therear edges of the vertical side-walls l of the stationary yoke willserve to limit the forward'pivotal movement of the pivotal yoke whilethe pins 1 0 will perform a similar oliice for the pivotal yoke duringits backward movements.

The tension-mechanism with the detail construction of which we are notinterested in the present invention, is of the conventional typecomprising the usual tensionrods 11, compression-springs 12, and adjust-Y ture 24 forined in the rods passing ing-nut or wheel 13, the

:formed 1n the through suitable openings 14:,

' rearlconnecting-wall 7 of the pivotal yoke,

The brace-plate 3 and the lower trans-I verse wall of the stationaryyoke, are provided with circular openings 18a which, by reason of therelative positions of these two elements are spaced a considerabledistance apart. These two openings are in vertical alinement and receivea vertical sleeve `19, the upper end of which is Vpre'i.erably swaged,4as at 20, above the brave-plate il, and the lower end ot which sleeveextends through the lower opening to a point considerably below thestationary yoke. This sleeve, it will be observed being supported at twodistant points` becomes rigidly' mounted in the stationary yoke of thechairiron, and is therefore prepared to successfully withstand thelateral stress to which it is subjected when in actual use.

The adjusting-post or standard is not threaded, as is usual, but uponone side near itsupper end, is longitudinally grooved, as at 21, and at4its opposite side is provided with a longitudinal series of recesses orcavities 22. The adjusting-post or standard is of such diameter as willpermit it to readily slide within the sleeve 19 and is secure-fl to saidsleeve so that the two elements will revolve together, while yetmaintaining a slidable connection, by means oi? a screw 253, threaded inthe sleeve and having its inner end engaging with the groove 21 oit' thepost or standard. The sleeve is :further provi..-..d at a point withinthe stationary yoke with a sn'iall aperture Q11-, which by verticallyraising and lowering the chair-iron inay be caused to register or alinewith any oi.: the recesses orcavities 22, heretofore inentioned as beingprovided in the adiusti standard or post. i l The adjusting-standard orpost it will be understood, is swiveled in the usual manner 'in thechair-base, from which latter withdrawal of the standard or post inav heprevented by the usual means, as iforinstahce, by a key 25. The post orstandard niavv he provided vwiththe usual bearing-collar rotatingupon-the chair-base all or' which is common in structures olf' thiskind, and hence, require no further detailing.

At a pointtransversely opposite the aperl sleeve, there is i'orniezl citthe stationary yoke, 27, (see Figs. and if.) aperture lastf mentionedthere is in the side-Wall 1 a threaded aperture and vin said threaded anexteriorly threaded tubular or bored sleeve 28, that extends inwardlyfrom the side-wall in which it is mounted to a point near and in linewith the aperture 24 of the sleeve 19. A nut 29, threaded on the sleeve,is utilized to lock the same in position by being run tightly up againstthe side-wall in which the sleeve is located.

Mounted to reciprocate as well as rotate within the sleeve 28, is ahorizontal bolt 30, longer than the sleeve and therefore projectingbeyond the opposite ends o12 the latter. rllhe inner end of the boltispreferably somewhatrounded to conform to the outline of the recesses orcavities 22 of the adjusting-post or standard, and the diameter of thebolt is such as to enable it to readily pass in and out of the aperture24 of the vertical bearing-sleeve 19.

N ear its outer end, the bolt 30 is provided with a guide-lug 31, thesame being designed to operate against an inclined cani- 'face 32, withwhich the outer end of the horizontal `sleeve '228 is providedimmediately outside of the yoke in which it is mounted. It will beobvious that as the bolt 30 is rotated partially, the guide-lug workingagainst the cam-face 32,` will cause said bolt to withdraw from its endengagement with the recesses or cavities 22 of the adjusting-standard orpost and thus release the chair-iron from its locked engagement withsaid post or standard, after which the chair-iron and the chair-seat maybe raised and lowered upon the post or standard to the desired height.

Various means will readily suggest themselves ifor accomplishing thepartial rotation of the bolt and its consequent withdrawal from itslocking engagement with the post or standard, and -it will be understoodthat such means as are employed may he operable by the chair-occupantfrom any desired point; so that it is not to be understood that I limitmy invention either to the` means herein shown and described foraccomplishing the locking of the chair-iron upon the post or standard orto the means employed for operating the sanie, the arrangement shownbeing inerely a typication of .my invention.

ln the present instance, `l` secure to the outer end of the boltBO,beyond the end of the sleeve 28, a rocker-arm 38, the saine being` heldrigidly upon the bolt by means of a set-screw 34, and to such arin isconnected an operating-mechanism that may lead from any point desiredand found conven` ient to the chair-user. A conveniently locatedoperating system or means will be found in that shown, wherein, aswillbc seen. l journal in the vertical. webs 35, ot the spider-arms 17,transverse shaft 36, the same being positioned immediately under thechair-seat 18 and in rear of the chair-iron. At one end this' shaft 36is pro'- vided with a rocker-arm 37 j the same being secured to theshaft-'by a set-screw 38, and the arm at its lower extremity beingpivotally connected, as' at39, to one end of a connecting-link 40, theopposite end ot which is pivotally connected, as at 4:1, to the free endof the rocker-arm 33 of the bolt 30. It will readily be seen that anyrocking motion imparted to the shaft 36 will be conveyed to the bolt 30,and therefore, the latter reciprocated into and out of its loclt ingengagement with the adjustingpost or standard. It nowV merely remains toprovide a convenient means for rocking the shaft 36, and in the presentinstance I acn complish this by providing the shaft at that end oppositethe rocker-arm 37, with an operating-arm 42, which projecting from theshaft, may be` shaped as desired and caused to terminate at any pointdesiredand convenient. In this instance, the arm l2 projects to a pointslightly below the bottom of the chair and near its edge, and is thereprovided with a plate or head 43, so that the user can readily reach thesame with his hand while at the same time grasping the chair-seatwithboth hands. By raisin .the head #i8 and relieving the chair ci; hisweight somewhat, anvunlocking oi the parts will occur and the seat maybe permitted to fall or lower or be elevated the desired degrec,l afterwhichY by merely releasing the plate 3, the locking engagement of thebolt and the adjusting-post or standard will become restablished. theweight oit the bolt operating-mechanism of the bolt being amplysu'tlicient ttor returning the parts to their normal ,locking position.

I am aware that I am not the iirst to provide a Alocking-means forretaining vertically reciprocating adjusting standards for chairs atvarious elevations withV relation to the chair-base, and hence, I do notbroadly claim the same as of my invention; but in all such constructionsas have come within my knowledge, the locking-means employed have beenotherwise mounted than upon and carried by what 'I term herein and inthe claims as the chair-iron, such means usually being carried b v thechairbase or hub; so that, the term chair-iron. as I employ it herein,is intendedto mean what is sometimes called a spider and at other timesa stretcher, such terms being used to designate a frame located at theupper end of the adjlisting-standard and upon which the spider-arms aretiltably mounted. By the word hub also, as used herein, l mean toinclude the usual commercial chairbase.. It will be ound that thechair-iron is far better adapted to receive a locking-device t'or thestandard, as herein typiied, than is the chairbase, for Athat thelatter, being always in view, is generally marred or its symmetrydestroyed by the application of such a device.; and moreover is, in manyinstances, weakened by such application. By applying the locking-means,as I have, to the chair-iron, instead of to the chair-base, suchlocking-means is entirelyy out of sight, being located directly underthe chair seat; and moreover, the

usual form or style of chair-iron provides ample room for theapplication of the vdevice; and finally, the locating of thelockingdevice within the chair-iron, enables me to employ anoperating-means that may terminate adjacent the edge of the chair-seatand yet be hidden from view--a feature of the invention impossible wherethe lockingmeans is located in the chair-base.

`Having described my invention, what l claim, is:

1. In a chair-adjustment, the combination with an adjusting-standardadapted for mounting in a hub or base, of' a' chair-iron having avertical sleeve vertically movable upon the upper portion of' thestandard, a

locking-means carriedby thechair-iron to with an adjusting-standardadapted for mounting in a hub or base `and provided with a plurality ofengaging cavities, of a chairiron having a perforated sleeve verticallymovable upon the upper portion of the standard opposite the cavities, alaterally movable locking-means carried by the chairiron and adapted tolock the sleeve and standard together through the perforation of thesleeve and one ofthe cavities of the standard whereby to preventindependent vertical movement of the sleeve upon the standard, meansfornormally retaining said iocking-means in engagement with one of saidcavities, and means for releasing or withdrawing said locking-means fromsuch engagement, whereby to permit of independent movement oi the sleeveupon the st and ard.

4. ln a chair-adjustment, the combination with an adjlisting-standardadapted to be mounted in a hub and having engaging recesses inits upperportion, otra chair-iron having a vertical sleeve mounted for verticaladjustment on the upper portion of said standard, a. locking-meanscarried by the chair-iron independent of the hub and adapted to engage'and interlock with the recesses of the standard, and means 'foroperating said locking-means to disengage the same from said recesses.

5. In a chair-adjustment, the combination with an adjusting standardadapted for mounting in a hub or base, or" a chair-iron having avertical sleeve vertically movable upon the upper portion of thestandard, a locking-means carried b v the chair-iron and adapted toprevent independent vertical movement of the sleeve upon the standard,and means for operating to release said locking-means and extending toan operable position adjacent the edge of the chair-seat.

6. In a chair-adjustment, the combination with an adjusting-standardadapted to be mounted in a hub, of a chair-iron mounted for verticaladjustment on the upper portion of said standard, a locking meansbetween the chair-iron and standard and independent of the hub, andmeans for disengaging said locking-means.

7. In a chair-adjustment, the combination with an adjusting-standardadapted to be mounted in a hub, of a chair-iron mounted for verticaladjustment on the upper portion of said standard, a locking-meansbetween the chair-iron and standard and independent of the hub, andmeans extending from adjacent the edge of the chair-seat and adaptedwhen operated to disconnect said locking-means.

8. In a chair-adjustment, the combination with an adjusting-standardadapted to be mounted in a hub and having a vertical series of recesses,of a chair-iron mounted for vertical adjustment on the upper end of saidstandard, a locking-means carried by the chair-iron independent of thehub and adapted to normally engage and interlock with one of saidrecesses, and means for operating said locking-means todisengage thesame from said recesses.

9. In a chair-adjustment, the combination with an adjusting-standardhaving a series of engaging recesses, of a chair-iron, a reciprocal,rocking, locking-holt carried by chair-iron and adapted to normallyengage one of the recesses of the standard, an inclinedcam,alugextending from the bolt and working in contact with the cam,whereby to reciprocate said bolt when rocked, and means for rocking saidbolt.

10. In a chain-adjustment, the combination with an adjusting-standardprovided.

with a series of engaging recesses, of a chairiron comprising a yoke anda vertically disposed perforated sleeve mounted i'or vertical adjustmenton said standard, a sleeve mounted horizontally in said yoke andprovided with an inclined cam-surface, a bolt mounted to reciprocate aswell as rock in said sleeve and to engage one of the engaging recessesof the standard through the perforation in the sleeve, a lug extendingfrom the bolt and riding upon the cam-surface of the sleeve in which itis mounted, and means for rocking the bolt.

l1. In a chair-adjustment, the combination with an adjusting-standardprovided with a series of engaging recesses, of a chair-iron comprisinga yoke and a vertically disposed. perforated sleeve mounted for verticaladjustment on said standard, a sleeve horizontally disposed in said yokeand threaded in one of the walls thereof and provided at its outerendwith an inclined cam-surface, a bolt mounted to reciprocate as wellas rock in said sleeve and at its inner end to engage one of theengaging recesses of the standard through the perforation in the sleeve,a lug extending from the bolt and riding upon the cam-surface of thesleeve in which it is mounted, means for rocking the bolt, and a jam-nutthreaded on the horizontal sleeve and impinging against the wall of theyoke.

12. In a chair-adjustment, the combination with an adjusting-standardhaving engaging recesses, of a chair-iron having a sleeve disposedvertically therein and provided with an aperture registering with therecesses in the standard, a sleeve horizontally disposed in thechair-iron and provided with an inclined cam, a holt adapted at itsinner end to engage one of the recesses of the standard through theaperture in the vertical sleeve and mounted to reciprocate and rotate inthe horizontally disposed sleeve, a lug projecting from the bolt andoperating against the inclined cam of the horizontal sleeve, whereby,when rocked, the bolt will be caused to withdraw from its lockingengagement with the standard, a rock-arm at the outer end of the bolt,an adjacent rockshaft terminating at one end in an operating crank,bearings for the rock-shaft, a rockarm at the opposite end of therock-shaft, and a link pivoted at one end to the free end of therock-arm of the shaft and at its other end to the free end of therock-arm of the bolt.

13. In a chair-adjustment, the combination with an adjusting-standard,of a chairiron comprising a yoke having opposite vertical side and anintermediate lower connecting-wall, and an upper transverse braceplateconnecting the two side-walls and spaced from the intermediate lowerconnecting-wall, said plate and latter wall having vertically aliningopenings, a sleeve located in said openings and mounted for verticaladjustment on the standard, means carried by the yoke for engaging saidstandard and locking the yoke at a point thereon, and means fordisengaging said locking-means.

14. In a chair-adjusment, the combination with an adjusting-standard, ofa chairiron comprising a yoke having opposite veradjusting-standard, andmeans carried by tical side and an intermediate lower oonthe yoke forlocking the latter upon the necting-wall, the latter having a centralpost at various points of adjustment onlthe 15 opening, a superimposedtransverse braceadjusting-standard.

plate connecting the side-walls of said yoke ln testimony whereof 'Ihave signed my and having an opening alining vertically name to thisspecification in the presence of with that oit' the connecting-wall ofthe yoke, two subscribing witnesses.

said brace-plate being spaced from said ylaty ter wall, a sleeve locatedin the openings of OLAF ELTON the brace plate and yoke and extending atWitnesses:

its lower end below the yoke, said sleeve be- T. A. BOERNER,

ing mounted for vertical adjustment on the A, H. ERLWIG.

